Talking About Age

Italiano A1A15. Unit 5: My Family

Talking About Age in Italian

In English, you are a certain age. But in Italian, you have a certain number of years! To express age, use the verb avere (to have) followed by your age and the word anni (years).

The Golden Rule

Formula: [Subject] + [Form of avere] + [Number] + anni

Important Conjugations of Avere

Common Mistakes

Don’t say: Sono vent’anni. (This means “It is twenty years”.)
Always say: Ho vent’anni. (I have twenty years.)
Also, remember to elide numbers ending in vowels before anni, like vent’anni instead of venti anni.

Words

avere
to have
Io ho un gatto.I have a cat.
anni
years
Quanti anni hai?How old are you?
ho
I have
Ho vent'anni.I am twenty years old.
hai
you have
Tu hai un cane.You have a dog.
ha
he/she has
Lui ha trent'anni.He is thirty years old.
quanti
how many
Quanti libri hai?How many books do you have?
dieci
ten
Ho dieci anni.I am ten years old.
venti
twenty
Ho venti anni.I am twenty years old.
trenta
thirty
Mio padre ha trenta anni.My father is thirty years old.
quarantacinque
forty-five
Mia madre ha quarantacinque anni.My mother is forty-five years old.
cinquanta
fifty
Lui ha cinquanta anni.He is fifty years old.
sessanta
sixty
Lei ha sessanta anni.She is sixty years old.
settanta
seventy
Mio nonno ha settanta anni.My grandfather is seventy years old.
ottanta
eighty
Mia nonna ha ottanta anni.My grandmother is eighty years old.
novanta
ninety
Il signore ha novanta anni.The gentleman is ninety years old.
cento
one hundred
Ha cento anni.He/She is one hundred years old.

Lessons are prepared with the help of AI.

Patterns

Ho ___ anni.

English: 'I am [age] years old.' Used to state your age.

Ho venticinque anni.I am twenty-five years old.

Quanti anni hai, ___?

English: 'How old are you, [name]?' Used to ask someone's age.

Quanti anni hai, Marco?How old are you, Marco?

Mio ___ ha ___ anni.

English: 'My [family member] is [age] years old.' Used to state a relative's age.

Mio padre ha quaranta anni.My father is forty years old.